Textile and apparel machinery sellers look to Bangladesh as a lucrative business destination because of the country's stronghold in global readymade garment trade.

Sales of textile machinery are increasing due to high demand from the garment manufacturers, said exhibitors at the eighth Dhaka International Textiles and Garments Machinery Exhibition at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre yesterday.

“Sales here have been increasing over the last two years. The country's garment sector was unhurt from the global recession and the machinery exporters targeted Bangladesh," said Thomas Chang, vice manager of the China-based Kyang Yhe (Dong Guan) Machinery Co Ltd.

Bangladesh is an attractive destination for textile machinery business because the garment manufacturers in the country are either expanding or investing in new projects, he said.

“We have not opened any sales office in Dhaka yet, but we are looking for agents to market our products," said Chan.

Bangladesh is also luring the fabrics exporters because the country imports nearly 60 percent of its fabrics for the woven garment, mainly from China.

"We have a good number of customers in Bangladesh and our business is increasing," said Faye, a sales executive of Yingrui Industries, a China-based denim textile company.

The textile machinery business will grow in the country within the next 10 years, said Golam Faruque, chief executive officer of Fareetex Tech Company, a Bangladeshi concern which imports textile machinery.

Faruque, who has been showcasing the denim fabrics designing machinery, said demand for such machinery is increasing in Bangladesh.

In his inaugural speech, Jahangir Alamin, president of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association, said 620 exhibitors from 31 countries are exhibiting their products this year, while the number was 570 exhibitors last year.

BTMA, Yorkers Trade and Marketing Service of Hong Kong and Chan Chao jointly organised the exhibition to showcase the textile machinery, fabrics and apparel accessories, which will end on February 16.

Textiles and Jute Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui also spoke.